Pint of Origin spans 22 venues with 800 beers from 15th to 24th May 2026
Pint of Origin returns to Melbourne from 15th to 24th May 2026, spanning 22 pubs, bars and breweries across the city. The event features around 800 beers from more than 200 breweries, covering Australia and international regions including Japan, the USA, the UK, New Zealand and Europe.
The festival operates as a multi-venue experience, allowing attendees to move between locations and explore different beer regions. Each venue represents a specific location, ranging from Melbourne neighbourhoods to global beer destinations. As a result, the event distributes activity across the city rather than centralising it in one location.
Organisers confirm that many beers available during the festival are either created specifically for the event or are being poured in Australia for the first time. In addition, venues will host a range of activities including tap takeovers, food pairings, trivia sessions, run clubs and collaboration launches.
Created by The Crafty Pint, the festival first launched in 2012 as part of Good Beer Week. It has since expanded into a standalone event, maintaining its focus on craft beer and venue-led programming.
There is no general admission fee for most parts of the festival. Instead, attendees pay for individual beers or ticketed experiences at participating venues. This structure allows flexibility in how visitors engage with the event over the ten days.
To support navigation between venues, organisers have introduced a digital passport system. The platform provides access to bonus beers and prize incentives, encouraging movement between participating locations. In addition, curated mini-crawls group venues into smaller routes across different areas of Melbourne.
Guided crawls and participating venues announced
Two guided crawl experiences are scheduled during the festival. On 16th May 2026, Drinking History Tours will lead the Central Crawl across inner-city venues, focusing on beer history and venue storytelling. On 17th May 2026, Beer Belts will host the West Crawl, transporting attendees between locations while introducing featured beers at each stop. The Crafty Pint team will co-host both experiences.
Participating venues represent a mix of local and interstate regions alongside international themes. These include Beermash representing Europe, Benchwarmer focusing on Japan, and Carwyn Cellars highlighting the USA. Other venues include The Catfish for New Zealand, Mr West for the United Kingdom, and Rose Island representing China.
Australian regions are also included, with Bridge Road Brewers Brunswick covering regional Victoria, CoConspirators Brewpub representing regional Queensland, and Westside Ale Works showcasing regional South Australia. Additional venues span Tasmania, Western Australia, the Northern Territory and the ACT.
Melbourne-specific venues are divided into geographic groupings, including Freddie Wimpoles for south of the Yarra and Heartbreaker for north of the Yarra. Other locations such as The Lincoln, The Park Hotel Abbotsford and The Woodlands Hotel contribute to the national and regional representation.
James Smith, founder of The Crafty Pint and creator of the festival, said, “It’s proving to be another tough year for beer and hospitality, so we’re very excited to be bringing Pint of Origin Festival back for another ten days of cheer and cheers.”
He added, “We’ve got some great new additions to the festival this year, including venues making their debut, guided crawls, and epic prizes for those who grab a Pint of Origin Passport and travel the world of beer.”
Pint of Origin runs from 15th May to 24th May 2026 across multiple venues in Melbourne. Access details vary by venue, with most locations operating without entry fees while select events and guided crawls require bookings.
